April Fool's Day Disaster
by King RTS
Summary: What if instead of pretending to be blinded by Arnold's prank, Helga really was? How will Arnold deal with this problem? Is Helga forever blinded? Remake of the original April Fool's Day ep.


Welcome! I'm glad you've clicked into this story, and I hope you stay long enough to read and review it! Please? 

This is a "re-make" of "April Fool's Day" episode, where instead of pretending to be blind; Helga really was blinded by Arnold's prank in this story. The events of the actual ep will happen up thru till Helga's "blindness", but thingswill be different afterwhichdue to the fact that Helga really is blind (this applies to the part where Arnold unleashed his prank and after). Also, there'll be some new scenes and it'll run on past the A.F.D. Dance too. So, without further rambling by me, enjoy the story!

Disclaimer: I don't own the Hey Arnold! Characters or the original plot line to the "April Fool's Day" episode. 

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"April Fool's Day Disaster" 

Chapter 1 "April Fool's Day"

It was April first. And that meant it was April Fool's day. A day full of pranks, tricks, and deceptional deeds to your closest of friends…or the bitterest of rivals.

On this morning, Arnold was in the kitchen eating a bowl of cereal when his grandpa came barreling in moaning like he was in pain. Arnold turned and was shocked to see a butcher's knife stuck in his grandfather's head, blood all over him.

"Oh, oh, ooohhhh mercy Arnold, there's been a terrible accident…oh…… April Fools!"

Phil pulled off the fake butcher's knife laughing at Arnold, who had splattered some of the milk from his bowl onto his shirt.

"You got me grandpa." Arnold stated, a little annoyed, as he wiped his shirt clean. Then, his grandmother appeared at the window, cheerfully smiling.

"Oh Happy Groundhog's day everyone! Yippe! I saw my shadow, and you know what that means!" She said entering the kitchen while Arnold and Phil game an un-amused look.

"We know Pookie…"

"Twelve more days of Christmas." Arnold and Phil said rather monotone.

"Oh isn't it exciting? Welp…I'll be upstairs. I got presents to wrap!" with a snap, she skips off singing jingle-bells.

After she left, Phil moves the 'presumably real' flower on his suspender strap to his nose and gave it a sniff. "Ah Spring," he started patting his chest a few times, "the fresh air, the flowers… hey Arnold! Smell my boot-daner!" He said sticking his bottom then the flower towards Arnold. Arnold gave it a sniff before he got nailed with a large shot of water almost choking on it as his grandfather laughed, "April Fools!" He then made his way to the stove.

Arnold wiped the water from his eyes, "Good one grandpa…funny." Arnold was quite annoyed at this point.

Phil continued to laugh momentarily, "…ha, I'm sorry Arnold. I couldn't resist," he began putting eggs onto a plate from the frying pan. "No more jokes now. Eat you eggs." He stated, placing the plate before Arnold. Arnold tried to cut the eggs with the knife, but the eggs kept moving with the knife. Surprised and frustrated, he tried again, sawing harder with the knife. Again nothing happened as Phil broke in laughing, "Rubber eggs! April fools!" And continued to laugh. Arnold held the egg up on the fork and gave it a good stretch to indeed see that it was rubber.

"Grandpa…" Arnold had just about enough.

"Ah come on short man, it's April Fools Day," Phil started bringing a small box to the table. "Don't you want to play a prank on someone?"

"No thanks grandpa. I'm not really into the April Fools jokes." Arnold noticed a pair of glasses with a fake nose, eyebrows, and mustache was placed near him. Then Phil put on a pair of glasses that had spring-loaded eyes.

"Aw that's crazy talk Arnold, everyone loves April Fools Day!" The eyes then sprung forward, as he finished his sentence. Phil then began to rummage around in the box looking for something that'll hopefully change Arnold's mind. "Let's see here…oh here it is! The Granddaddy of all April Fools pranks!" He said holding up a small purple box with a red ribbon. "Try this one on your little classmates today Arnold. I used it on my friend Jimmy Kafka. Told him it was a late birthday present. But when you open it…a blinding flash goes off! It's a riot!"

Phil placed the little gift box in front of Arnold laughing.

"No thanks Grandpa. I just don't think anybody at school is really into April Fools day."

'_That's what he thinks._' Phil thought before Arnold got up to head off to school.

On his way, Arnold me up with Gerald like they usually did, and together continued onward to PS. 118. However, when they got there, things were rather…interesting. What looked to be toilet paper was everywhere. There were stains of possibly pudding on the walls. And from the flagpole hung Joey by his underwear. Arnold and Gerald were rather surprised as they made their way up the steps, narrowly missing the goat running out of the building. Upon entering the building, they noticed Peapod Kid chewing on gum Harold gave him. However, that turned out to be trick gum that was in fact filled with a black liquid, ink perhaps. Harold smiled, gave the famous line, "April Fools!" Next to them, Rhonda was about to kiss Curly! But just before their lips make contact, Rhonda reached back and slapped Curly to the ground! She then stood up, smiling, saying, "April Fools!". Arnold then saw Eugene falling in front of him, his shoes tied together as he heard Sheena say, "April Fools!" as well. Eugene gave a short laugh before giving a thumbs up from the ground, "Good one Sheena."

Arnold and Gerald turned and headed off to their lockers. "Wow, I guess everyone's really into April Fools Day." Arnold said passing a kid with his hand stuck to his locker with a gum like substance.

"No kiddin' Arnold! We gotta get in on this action!"

"I don't know Gerald. I'm just not really into it," Arnold stated before tending to the combination to his locker. "I'm too…"

"I know … Trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind. In fact, you'd be the perfect target for an April Fools joke."

Arnold shot Gerald an annoyed look as he opened his locker, only to be punched in the face by a spring loaded boxing glove!

"April Fools football head!" Came the voice of Helga Pataki herself, as she laughed at Arnold who was on the other side of the hall on the ground.

"Good one, Helga." Obviously peeved.

"Get used to it Bucko, cause you're gonna get it all day long!"

Laughing, Helga walked off while Arnold shot her a very dirty and peeved look. _'Just watch yourself Helga.' _He thought to himself.

Later in class, Helga walked in smiling, and holding her next prank. It was a remote control fart-making machine known as "King Toot". Helga smirked and tested it by pressing the button on the controller. Upon hearing the noise, she continued her way to her seat, passing by Arnold and dropping the speaker behind Arnold, in his chair. She then took her seat and hid the remote in her desk before looking in front of her bored. Suddenly Principal Wartz came frantically into the room…

"Students, quiet, please!" he said shutting the door behind him. "Settle down. I have some very, serious news. Your beloved teacher, Mr. Simmons, is no longer with us." He then got down on his knees, "Because he was run over by an enormous steam roller!" He said throwing his arms in the air for emphasis. The class remained quiet. Principal Wartz then quickly turned off the lights and started acting surprised, "Ah, egad! It's his ghost!" Wartz exclaimed scared, pointing at Mr. Simmons' desk.

Mr. Simmons, who was pale faced, held a flashlight in front of him as he slowly rose from in behind his desk making a "wooooooo" ghost noise. Wartz then clicked on the lights as Mr. Simmons exclaimed "April Fools everybody! It's not my ghost, it's just me!" despite his feeble attempt at a prank. Rhonda said it best, "That was so lame!"

With a high-five, Mr. Simmons went to his desk, wiping the white makeup off his face, "Thank you, Principal Wartz for that very special introduction." He said with a slight chuckle.

"Let's make it an annual tradition Mr. Simmons. Carry on." Wartz said before leaving the room.

"Oh Class, We're having our fist annual April Fools Dance," He put up the screen covering the writing on the board. "Tonight, at the YMAA Gym!"

Helga looked towards Arnold smiling, semi-evilly cause of the pranks she was going to pull on him all day today.

"Principal Wartz and I will both be there as chaperones, and I'll be crowning one lucky person to be the king of fools!" During Mr. Simmons' ranting, Arnold turned as he felt someone staring at him. Helga quickly turned back around and pretended that nothing was happening. "Eugene, would you mind distributing the flyers?"

"I'd be honored! I really hope you'll all come and vote for me. I'd think I'll make a wonderful king of fools!" He said hading out flyers. But, just as he finished his statement, and handing a flyer to Curly, Curly tripped Eugene causing the rest of the flyers to scatter everywhere. "Ow…I'm ok!" Eugene exclaimed hitting the floor. Helga reached up and grabbed one of the flyers from the air. She then looked at it solemnly.

'April Fools Dance, pah. Arnold would never want to go with me. What fun would it be then? Hmm…maybe I can still go and play more humiliating pranks on him?'

Frustrated, she tore a piece of the flyer off and stuck it in her mouth, chewing it slightly. Then, taking a straw, she shot the spitball at Arnold, hitting him in the left ear. Already annoyed as it was, Arnold turned and looked at Helga, knowing it was her who shot a spitball at him. "Hey Arnoldo, pick up my pencil." She said pointing at the pencil under him. Arnold lifted up his left leg and saw the yellow object. Helga started strumming her fingers on her desk, obviously showing a sign of impatience.

Not wanting to upset Helga any further than she seemed, he got up, and bent down to retrieve the lost pencil. But, just as he did, Helga smiled, lifted her desktop, and pressed the button to release a loud fart from the speaker near Arnold's bottom. Arnold stood straight up quickly, pencil in hand, shocked. The rest of the class broke into a hysterical fit of laughter.

"Arnold farted!" Harold stated, pointing at him and laughing hysterically.

Arnold then heard another fart noise from behind him and turned to see the speaker in his chair. Picking it up, Helga took the controller out of her desk, and pressed the button a few more times, "April Fools football head!" She pressed the button one more time for emphasis. Arnold obviously wasn't amused.

"Willakers Sid. This school's just chalked full of pranks."

"I know. This room is tough. We gotta think of prank that'll beat them all. Or be ashamed."

"Yeah, huge whappin' super prank."

Sitting back, Stinky and Sid began to think. Sid stared at the dance flyer. Then an idea hit him.

"Hey. What if we pulled one at the big dance that Mr. Simmons is going on about?"

"That's a great idear Sid! Tonight, where everybody can see."

"Now all we got to do is think up a prank." Sid stated now disappointed since he knew he'd never be able to come up with a prank by tonight.

"Maybe we can do something involvin' my pet turtle Snappy?" Sid got up and moved towards Stinky's desk to see the turtle that was inside it. "He's a pasel of laughs." Just as Sid leaned in, Snappy reached out and attempted to bite Sid's nose. Sid backed off just in time, squealing. "Careful Sid. He really bites."

-----

Later at lunch, Curly was busy loosening the nuts on one of the school's bells to where it rung off the bolt. As it fell, Curly laughed in his mad, maniac way, proud of his so called-prank. To whom the 'prank' was directed was uncertain. Then again, everything that boy does is uncertain.

In the lunch room, Arnold and Gerald got their lunch trays and headed to their seats to eat.

"I hope Helga's finished playing April Fools jokes on me." Arnold said setting his tray down on the table. He spun around and sat in his seat only to hear a rather disturbing squish sound, and felt a cold, slimy mixture on his backside. Immediately he knew what had happened. Then came the conformation from Helga. "April Fools football head!" She and almost everyone else in the lunch room began to laugh as Arnold got up to find the bowl of pudding hanging from the back of his shirt…but it slowly slid off him and to the floor revealing a big splotch of chocolate pudding on his red plaid shirt.

"Look at him, what a loser!" Helga chimed in.

"Time to change your diaper Ar-no-ld!" Harold added in laughing in his obnoxious way.

"Emm-emm-emm, Arnold, she's gonna be at it all day. She said so herself." Gerald began. Arnold wiped a little of the pudding from the back of his shirt and examined it, to indeed confirm that it was chocolate pudding. "Face it man, it is time to retaliate."

"You're right. I'll be back."

Arnold turned and headed out of the lunchroom while everyone continued to laugh.

In the hallway, Arnold went to the phone there and called his grandfather, while hiding behind a door leading into another hallway…

"Hello, grandpa?"

"Hello, Acme plumbing," Came the altered voice from the other end.

"Huh? Oh, sorry, I must have…"

"April Fools!" His grandfather shouted into the phone laughing.

"Grandpa…" Arnold said placing his hand above his nose feeling a slight headache coming on, and the fact that he was rather annoyed as it was.

"Sorry Short-man I couldn't resist. You're just a perfect straight man."

"Not anymore. I'm calling cause I've decided to take you up on your offer after all."

"My special offer? Sorry, we're not buying any today, thank you. Goodbye" Phil then began to pretend to hang up the phone.

"Grandpa!" Arnold shouted hoping he wouldn't hang up.

"April Fools Arnold!" Phil said laughing, "…teehee-he-haw, I can't stop."

"Listen, I'm serious. Remember that little gift box you showed me this morning?" He said stepping out from behind the door.

"Course I do. It's the granddaddy of all April Fools pranks." He gasps, "Oh, don't tell me. You want to use it on someone?"

"That's Right." Arnold said simply.

"Ad-get-cha, I can't believe it!" Phil said dropping the phone. "Oh-oh this is wonderful! Hold that thought Arnold, don't weaken! I'll be right down!"

"And grandpa… …bring me an extra pair of pants."

"Done!" Phil said hanging up and running off with his pants in hand.

Arnold hung up the phone and proceeded to sneak out to the front of the school. Hiding behind a trashcan, Arnold waited for his grandpa.

Minutes later, Arnold saw him coming in the familiar green Packard. Phil came speeding by honking at Arnold who was at the curb with his hand in the air to get his attention. Arnold ducked and covered when his grandpa sped by. Phil then quickly u-turned and came back to stop aside Arnold.

"So, now we're ready to try it Mr. I'm Not Really Into April Fools Day." Phil said in a mocking sort of way.

"Can I just have the box, please grandpa?" Arnold said still aggravated from earlier.

"What's that on your pants? Turn around…" he said making the turn-around motion with his hand.

Arnold turned, "It's chocolate pudding." Phil then broke into a laugh. "Oh-ho that's a good one! Oh-ho-ho, pudding pants! Who did it? Let me guess; your little friend with the one eyebrow." He said making a one-eyebrow impression with his finger.

"Helga, right." He said turning back around, "Can I have the box?" he said extending his hand.

"Wait till she gets a load of this. She'll be the one needing the extra pair of pants! …heh-heh-heh. And speaking of which, here's yours." Phil stated handing Arnold the box, and then holding out his pants.

"Uh, grandpa…those are your pants."

"April Fools. Good luck Short-man!" He said before speeding away, laughing, leaving his pants at the curb.

Arnold watched his grandfather drive away before sprinting back into the school.

-----

Back in the lunch room, Eugene was busy sniffing the inside of a "Jim Sings" record case until a mouse trap snapped shut on his nose. He howled in pain before falling to the floor with everyone laughing.

"Man, talk about gullible. You're almost as easy to bamboozle as that looser Arnold. Speaking of which, where is the biggest sap of them all?" Helga stated and wondered, as she looked around for him.

"I'm right here Helga." Arnold said coming into the lunchroom, attempting to hide the little gift box. "And I have a present for you." Arnold then revealed the box.

Everyone gasped. Either they thought Arnold was crazy for actually trying a prank, especially on Helga, or maybe it was the fact that it was such an obvious prank that he was trying to do, on Helga of all people.

"Tsk, get real football head. Like there's any way I'm gonna fall for that old gag." Helga stated matter-of-factly, jumping down from the table.

"It isn't a gag. It's a belated birthday present." He said holding up the present.

"Yeah right. And I'm Mary Queen of Scott's."

"I'm serious Helga. I mean, your birthday was last week right?"

Helga paused before smiling to herself, _'Oh my gosh. I can't believe he remembered!'_

But that smile quickly faded, still weary of him. "Yeah so?"

"So Happy Belated Birthday!" Arnold said holding the present in front of Helga.

Again Helga smiled and looked to be in a trance. In reality, she sorta was.

'_Oh Arnold, my beloved. You're so kind and good. I solemnly swear I'll never play another prank on you again.'_ Finally, she snapped out of it. "Well…uh…gee Arnold thanks." She said taking the present from Arnold, not noticing his large smirk. Helga opened the box only to be met with a blinding flash!

"Aahahghahgahgagh!" She shouted dropping the box, the rest of the lunchroom erupting in a fit laughter.

"April Fools!" Arnold said triumphantly.

"Help! Help! I'm blind!" Helga cried out, covering her eyes in pain.

"You have to be if you didn't see that one coming." Gerald remarked, laughing at Helga.

Arnold stood with his arms folded, smiling to himself in victory.

"No you morons, I'm really blind!" Helga shouted removing her hands from her eyes, the tears from the light ever present, and the far away look present in her eyes. Arnold gasped with shock as guilt set in on what he had done.

Phoebe quickly led Helga to the nurse, as Arnold stood there too shocked to react.

-----

A few minutes later, Arnold and most of the class was outside of the nurse's office wondering on Helga's condition. Sure, most of them didn't really like her. But she was still their friend. And as tough and mean as she is, they can't help but feel for her. Especially if it was such a serious thing, like blindness, and that Arnold of all people caused it.

"It's like Mr. Simmons always says; horseplay leads to tears." Stinky said from the floor near the door. Arnold was a nervous wreck and worried about Helga's state. He peered into the foggy glass, unable to see through the opaqueness of it.

-----

"So give it to me straight lady, am I gonna make it or not?" Helga asked nervously from the small medical bed she was laying on with a washcloth over her eyes.

"I'm sorry to say, I'm not sure right now. From what I've examined, the effects may only be temporary, but I can't say for certain. However, you seem to have a good chance of your vision to return…someday."

"You mean I'm still blind?" Helga said almost panicky.

"Yes, I'm afraid so." She said removing the cloth from Helga's eyes.

Helga opened her eyes, blinking repetitively, but still couldn't see a thing. Groaning, she turned onto her side.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Came the nurse, Shelly.

"No. No there's nothing." Helga meekly said, rather depressed about her current state. No longer will she be able to see her beloved. Of course, right now she wanted to pound him for causing this in the first place.

Shelly helped Helga to her feet, and gave her a walking stick to help guide her. _'Poor dear. I do hope she'll be ok._'

Outside, the rest of the class was still waiting. Especially Arnold.

"Boy howdy, she's been in there a long time. Bet you feel pretty guilty right about now, huh Arnold?"

"Way to state the obvious Sid."

Opening the door, Helga slowly made her way out. Arnold was the first to notice her, and immediately dropped the gift box that blinded Helga. Everyone else stared in shock as Helga felt her way out of the door. A few steps later, she trips over Arnold and falls flat on the floor.

"Helga, are you ok?" Phoebe asked, helping her up.

"Oh I'm fine, you know, except for the fact that I'm still blind!"

Everyone gasped. "Helga I'm so sorry." Arnold said sincerely.

"Arnold? Arnold is that you?" She said spinning around and whacking him in the head with her cane. "It's so dark."

"Yes it's me." He said rubbing the soar spot while Helga lightly tapped him a few times with the walking stick. "So what did the nurse say…I mean, how long is this gonna last?"

"You mean my complete and utter lack of eyesight? Oh you know, maybe an hour…maybe forever."

Arnold gulped with guilt. "Well, is there anything I can do?"

"Well, actually there is. You could walk me home. I figured I should break the sad news to my poor parents as soon as possible." She half-lied. Really she could care less as to what her parents said. But, she did want to get home and rest, hoping that maybe it'll help return her eyesight quicker. Provided this isn't permanent.

"No problem." Arnold easily said. Knowing it was his fault, he knew he was in debt to her until the day she died, or got better. Whichever came first. He really hoped it was the second one.

"Great! I'll go get my things." She turned and began to walk off, but didn't get far as she ran into a wall. She gave it a few taps, but ran into it again. Arnold went over and helped her around the wall and towards the exit.

"Emm-emm-emm. That is the saddest thing I have ever seen." Gerald said watching Arnold take Helga away.

"Tell me about it. Now she's even more pathetic than ever." Rhonda said.

"I was talking about Arnold. The poor guy could be in debted to Helga G. Pataki for the rest of his life."

Helga continued to move around the walking stick, or cane, and accidentally whacked Arnold in the leg just before they got out of the school building.

"Oww!" he hobbled in pain. This was only the start of what was to be a long day.

---

Later, the two of them were walking down the street, Arnold guiding. Still feeling very guilty about what happened. "Helga, I'm really, really sorry." As they pass an old guy, Helga accidentally gave him a good whack in the leg too. "Ow, dang-blasted…"

Arnold paid him no mind, as his mind was too concerned about what happened.

"I swear I never meant for this to happen!"

"Ah don't sweat it, this'll all blow over soon. And if not, heh, well, then you have the rest of your life to make it up to me." She was about to step into a busy intersection, but Arnold caught her and stopped her. She narrowly avoided getting hit by a red car.

"So what's the hold up, why'd we stop?" She wondered.

"Intersection. Red light." Arnold said pressing the crossing button twice to make the signal change when the time was right. As they waited, Helga started reeling and having a hard time keeping her balance. Eventually she fell to one knee on the ground. "Helga what is it? What's wrong?" Arnold asked concerned.

"Uh, nothing…it's just, I'm overwhelmed by all these sounds. They're making me dizzy. Do you think you can carry me across the street Arnold?" _'Might as well have a little fun with him while I'm at it.'_

"Carry you?" _'What are you insane?'_ He thought to himself, giving her a weird look.

"On your back, you know, like one of those ponies at the petting zoo." She said being helped back to her feet by Arnold. "I mean it's the least you can do for blinding me right?"

Arnold sighs and his moral conscience told him that it was the right thing to do to listen to her demands. After all, it was his fault for getting them in this situation anyway. So, kneeling down, he helped Helga up onto his shoulders, since she was much bigger than he was. Arnold then began his arduous task of carrying Helga across the street.

"Arg…ow…watch, watch out!" Helga took hold of his hair for support, "Ah, that's my hair…"

Suddenly a screech of tires was heard by Helga, "Arnold watch out for that Cab!"

"Huh?" He turned and saw it speeding towards them and managed to jump out of the way in the nick of time.

"Arnold? Are we alive?" He asked from the ground.

"We're fine." He simply said getting up.

"Whew…good thing I saw…ah, I mean smelled that cab coming." She said, so used to saying 'saw' instead of any other sense. Especially smell.

"You smelled the cab?" Arnold said surprised and shocked.

"Yeah, you know how it is when you lose on of your senses. The others just kinda kick into overdrive." Arnold helped her back up, but upon coming in close proximity with him she noticed a somewhat displeasing smell. "Speaking of which, you might want to try a stronger deodorant football head." _'He still does smell nice though.'_

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind."

"Plus, I kinda also heard it coming. And the fact that all cab drivers in this town are crazy drivers anyway." She added in.

"Oh, I guess your right on that one." Arnold admitted.

"I don't know about you, but all this excitement has really made me thirsty."

"Ooo…there's a drinking fountain over there." He said noticing it.

"No dice. I need something hardy. Is there anyplace around here where I can get a milk shake Arnold?" She wondered, hoping they had gotten as far as Slausen's in their journey. Everyday when she walked to and from school she'd pass Slausen's at some point. And Helga was hoping Arnold had at least gotten that far on their journey.

"Well, there's Slausen's, but it's on the other side of the street."

"Well then, getty-up!"

"But…" Arnold sighs and knows that he is in debt to her. So, once again he took to one knee and helped Helga back onto his shoulders to begin the struggle back across the street.

'_What have I gotten myself into?'_ Arnold wondered.

In the ice cream parlor, Arnold and Helga sat on the stools waiting for someone to serve them. Arnold was rubbing his lower back, avoiding the dried up pudding, to ease the pain of carrying the larger girl on his shoulders. He was just thankful that Helga wasn't overweight.

"Ok, what'll it be?" Asked their waiter, Wyatt.

"I'll have an extra large triple chocolate shake, two cherries, no funny stuff."

"That's an awful big order for such a little girl. You sure your eyes aren't bigger than your stomach?" Wyatt wondered. Then again, he has seen Helga in here before on a few occasions.

"Positive. On the account that my friend here, has blinded me."

Arnold flinched before placing his order, "Why don't you make that two."

"Emm, you're the boss." Wyatt said beginning to fix their shakes.

"And don't skimp on the whipped cream ok Wyatt?"

Arnold noticed that their waiter's name was that. He was about to ask her about it when she sat up and started to fan herself, "Why it's…why it's gotten so very, very warm in here all of a sudden…heh-heh. I'm gonna go sit outside, be a sport and pick up the check would you Arnold?" She said attempting to head to the door.

"Sure…" He reached into his pocket and paid for their shakes as he watched Helga fumble with the door.

"Thank you, come again!" Wyatt said taking the money Arnold placed out. Taking the two shakes, he helped Helga outside to a table to sit down.

"Umm, do you need any help?" Arnold offered.

"No, I can eat on my own thank you very much!" Helga shouted rather harshly causing Arnold to sink low in his seat. He watched as the first scoop ended up on her chin. The next to the upper right of her mouth. Arnold frowned and began to silently eat his.

"Umm, how is it you know that guys name?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but he's taken a few of my orders before football head." She said as the next scoop ended up on her right cheek. Scowling she was getting aggravated, and Arnold took notice.

"Helga, please, I can help you."

"I told you I don't need your stinkin' help!" She said as the next scoop got her in the nose. She growled frustrated.

"How bout I get you a straw so you can drink the shake?"

"Hmm, well for once you're useful for something." Helga chimed in. Arnold flinched again at the hurtful remark.

"I'll be right back then."

Arnold went off back into the store and grabbed a straw. Quickly he returned to Helga and gently placed it in her shake. "There, enjoy!" He said trying to stay positive.

Helga's mouth found the straw and she began to drink her shake happily. "Mmm…"

Breathing a sigh of relief, Arnold resumed eating his with a spoon.

-----

About 8 minutes later, Arnold noticed that he had finished his shake. _'Must have been hungrier than I thought.' _He thought to himself. He looked over and noticed Helga was done with hers to. The presence of chocolate still all over her face. "Umm, mind if I help clean you up?"

"What?"

"You have chocolate all over your face."

"Hmm…" She attempted to lick some of the chocolate off, but only a small portion of it came off. "I guess it wouldn't hurt." She said.

Arnold got a napkin and gently wiped the chocolate from her face. Helga really didn't squirm or fight it much, but was a little annoyed by it. "There. Ready to go home?"

Helga merely nodded as Arnold helped her back up and back down the sidewalk.

-----

A few minutes later, Arnold and Helga arrived at Helga's house. Arnold was out of breath, thanks to several more intersections that Helga demanded to be carried across, and stopped to catch it. "Well, here we are. Your house." He took her hands and helped her up the stairs.

"Thanks Arnold. I really appreciate all that you've done for me. You know, except for the part where you made me go blind." Helga turned and tripped over the walking stick and fell into the doorway, spilling her books to the floor. "Whoops, dropped my books." She said upon hearing them hit the floor and feeling the lesser weight on her back.

"Let me get them for you." Arnold said beginning to pick them up.

"Don't bother," She began, getting back up. "It's not any use to me now that I'm blind. …Hey I know!" She said spinning around to where Arnold is presumably standing, swinging her walking stick high in the air unintentionally. Arnold barely ducked out of the way. "Why don't you take em'? After all, I'll need someone to do my homework until I can learn Brail."

"Uh, sure…" Arnold said feeling even worse.

"Great!" She said turning to where is voice came from, smacking him with the cane unintentionally. Then a shot to the leg as well. "Well, see ya later!" She said trying to make the situation seem better than it really was. "Oh wait, I won't. Because I'm blind, cause of you." She said pointing in Arnold's general direction. That shot threw Arnold like a dagger, making his guilt factor go skyward even more. "Mom, I'm home! …And I'm blind!" Arnold turned just in time to see the door closed in his face. Sighing, he turned and glumly walked home carrying Helga's books.

"Stupid football head. Blinding me like this… I'm gonna enjoy making his life a living heck! Cause all I have to do is sit back and enjoy a dish of sweet revenge as that sentimental sucker takes care of me. Tending to my every whim. Maybe being blind isn't gonna be so bad?" Helga wondered as she struggled to make her way upstairs. "Or maybe it will."

-----

At the boarding house, Arnold arrived with his head hung quite low. Today turned out to be such a disaster. Upon opening the door, a sprig of mistletoe suddenly appeared over his head.

"Oh happy Groundhog's Day Arnold!" Chimed his grandmother from a box near the door. Jumping down, she lightly kissed Arnold's forehead. "You're just in time to open presents."

Arnold sighs, "Maybe later grandma." With that, he heads off to the kitchen to hopefully drown in his misery and regret. He barely noticed his grandpa at the sink when he sat down at the table and put his head down on his folded arms.

"So, how'd the prank go Arnold? Was it a big hit?" Phil said rather happily.

"No, Grandpa. It was terrible! Helga went blind."

"Well, what's so terrible about that? Sounds like a total success! Heck, I nearly wet my pants when the same thing happened to Jimmy Kafka!" He said trying not to laugh, but failing to do so.

Arnold shot up, "What! Grandpa, why didn't you tell me?"

"That I wet my pants?" He wondered, scratching his head, "Well that's no big news."

"No, that the prank would cause blindness!"

"Arnold, I did. I said it had a Blind-ing flash." Phil said.

"Urgh, I can't believe this is happening…" Arnold said putting his head in his hands.

Taking a seat, Phil hoped to calm his grandson on the situation, "Oh don't worry short-man. If Helga has Jimmy's luck, she should have her sight back…eventually." Arnold looked at his grandfather with the _'Like that made me feel better'_ look. "Meanwhile you-you should try doing something nice to make it up to her." Phil notices the dance flyer and gets an idea, "Hey I know! Why don't you take her to this April Fool's Dance?"

"Grandpa, what good will that do?"

"It'll be fun! It'll take her mind off the horrible situation. You know…the fact that you blinded her."

Arnold thought for a moment, "Well…I guess, it couldn't hurt." He said getting up.

"Unless she falls down and breaks her hip." Phil added in noting that happened to him once. Arnold really didn't hear him and went to call Helga to set up a…Date to the dance. He only hoped Helga wouldn't kill him if she did indeed go. Picking up the receiver, Arnold nervously dialed her number.

'Brrrrrp…brrrrp…brrrp…' the dial tone pulsed.

"Hello?"

"Helga? It's Arnold…"

"Arnold?" She said shocked as she turned down the music she was listening to. "Uh…I mean, how are things in the sighted world football head?"

"Fine. The reason I called was, I was wondering if you wanted to go to the April Fool's Dance with me." Arnold almost collapsed as he said that. Lucky she couldn't see him or he'd be blushing like a radish.

"You mean like a, blind date or something?" Helga tried to joke about her condition.

"Ah, I guess you could call it that." He said trying to be respectful.

"Alright Arnold, if it'll ease your guilty conscience. But it better be first class all the way, nothing on the cheap!"

"It won't be. I promise."

"Good. I'm glad we're seeing eye to eye. You know figuratively speaking. Since I'm blind." She attempted to joke again.

"Right. I'll pick you up at seven. Bye." Hanging up, Arnold was relieved that went better than he thought. Now, to survive his _'blind date'_ with Helga tonight, which is something, he isn't looking forward to.

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"Tuh, I can't believe he asked me out! At this rate I'll make him miserable in no time! Then he'll wish he'd never try to beat me at my game! And he'll wish he never had blinded me!" Helga said erupting into a somewhat evil laugh.

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The next chapter you'll definitely see more differences between this story and the actual ep, plus more beyond the A.F.D. Dance. But of course, some things will still happen to the same effect. What exactly you'll have to wait till next time to find out!

Please Review

-King RTS-I'm the King of My World!


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